Stirring device



April 11, 1950 H. A. VERBRUGGE STIRRING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1948 mmvroza.

i/av/zyfl M9352 U665 7 WITNESS /WY M Patented Apr. 11, 1950 I UNITED STATES OFFICE 2,503,643 STIRRING DEvIoE Henry A. 'Verbrugge, Port Washington, NllY. Application January 29, 1948, Serial N 0. 4,959 .1 Claim. (01. 2519- 144) The present invention relates to a device for stirring mixed drinks and has reference to improvements upon the stirring device shown in my Letters Patent No. 2,396,975, issued March 19, 1946..

The object of the invention is to provide an improved stirring device of the indicated type which will reduce friction between the handle and the shaft of the stirrer to a minimum thus permitting free relative motion between such parts, which will permit of quick drainage of any liquid which may have collected between such parts during the stirring operations, which may be readily cleansed without removing the handle from the stirrer shaft and which is cheaper and more adaptable to manufacture in quantity.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from a perusal of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational View, partly in section, showing a bar spoon embodying the invention and illustrating one method of utilizing such spoon; Fig.2 is a front elevational view, partly-in section, of the bar spoon shown in Fig. l and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the top;portionof the spoon shown in Fig. 2. I

In the drawings, the reference character A designates the shaft of the device which is provided at its lower end with a conventionalbowl portion B, or. any. other. suitably: formed; implement. The implement B is permanently secured to the shaft A in any suitable manner, or integrally formed therewith. As is shown more clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the implement B is angularly arranged with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft A, and has at its lower end, a container bottom engaging portion C offset from the longtiudinal axis of the shaft, and about which said shaft and implement are rotated in the use of the device, as will hereinafter appear more clearly.

The shaft A has a length substantially greater than the height of the barkeeper's cocktail mixing glass D so that the upper end of such shaft projects outwardly from the mixing glass a sufilcient distance to enable the device to be manipulated by the user while the portion C thereof is in engagement with the bottom of the glass, as is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The upper portion of the shaft A is round and of substantially uniform diameter and is provided at its upper end with a beveled bearing surface E. Extending into the upper portion of the shaft A, from the upper end thereof, is a centrally disposed, longitudinally extending recess F provided-with a female screw thread.

=-Mou-nt'ed*on the upper portion of the shaft A is a hollow sleeve or handle G' having an interior diameter greater than such portion of the shaft and loosely fitting around the latter so as to permit relative play between the inner surface ofs-uch 'sleeve'and the outer'surface of'said shaft (note Fig.3). The sleeve G is of sufficient length to providea grasping surface forthe hand of the user, being slightly less than one-half the length of .the shaft A. Provided on the upper end of the sleeve G is an 'inturned flange H having a beveled bearing surface (note Fig. 3) 'which'enga'ges with the bearing surface E provided on'the'upp'er' end of the shaft A. The central opening of the flange H- while of less diameter than the upper end of the shaft, is greater in diameter than the threaded recess F provided on such end ofthe shaft. 'Threadedly engaged with the recess!" is the shank of a securing-member'J whose head overlies the flange H. The head of the'securingmember J is spaced a small distance-from the flange Hand the shank of such-member is of smallerdiameter than the central opening of such flange so that thesleeve G has a limited amount'of free movement relative to thesha'ft A and the securing member J. The sleeve '6' is also provided alongits length with a plurality 6f aperturesl through which acleansing 'fiuid may be passed tofiush out the portion of the device enclosed by such sleeve.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that after the constituents of a drink have been deposited in the barkeepers cocktail mixing glass D, they may be properly mixed by inserting the spoon into the glass until the tip C of the bowl B rests on the bottom of the glass (see Fig. 1) and then while maintaining the tip C in contact with the glass bottom, twirling the bowl B and shaft A. This operation is readily accomplished by the user firmly grasping the loosely fitting sleeve G somewhat in the manner indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and then causing the hand to be moved in such fashion as to impart a rotary movement to the shaft A about the point of contact of the bowl tip C with the bottom of the glass. When the spoon is thus manipulated, the liquid is caused to rotate around the point of contact of the spoon, the ice being violently intermingled with the'liquid by the portion of the shaft in the region of the lower end of the sleeve G, thus causing the several ingredients to be thoroughly mixed and at the same time, iced. During this operation, it will be noted that the;

sleeve G does not move relative to the fingers, while the shaft A, bowl B, securing member J and the sleeve bearing surface E revolve relative to the sleeve. It will also be noted, that because the sleeve G in effect hangs from the upper end of the shaft, the under surface of the flange H thereof will frictionally engage with the bearing surface E, while the body of the sleeve because of its looseness on the shaft, will have a slight oscillatory movement relative to the latter. When the stirring operation is completed, any liquid which may have passed in between the shaft A and the sleeve G will be quickly drained, thus enabling the barkeeper to mix a different drink without the danger of the second drink being flavored or discolored by the liquid of the first drink, and without the danger of the liquid which has a sugar. or gummy content, being retained and drying between such parts. Thus all danger of corrosion or the collection of sticky materials between the sleeve G and the shaft A is practically eliminated. This danger can be reduced to a minimum by holding the sleeve G under a faucet, the Water passing in through the apertures I therein and being discharged through the bottom end of the sleeve, flushing the space between such sleeve and the shaft A during its passage. In order to provide for a more thorough cleaning of the device, this may be readily accomplished by removing the securing member J and cleaning the parts separately.

The device may also be used as an ordinary spoon' by the user grasping it so that the little finger is curled about the securing membe J, or so that the latter is engaged by the palm of the hand. In the latter case, the flange E of the sleeve G will frictionally engage with the securingmember J thus also fixing the sleeve relative to the shaft A.

,From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the device of the invention can be used to equal advantages as an ordinary spoon and as a stirrer which is readily adaptable to the stirring of drinks in accordance with approved practice without the need for the degree of skill which is ordinarily required to successfully manipulate the usual bar spoon. It will be apparent also that the device is extremely simple in construction, being constituted of three simple parts which may be made separately and readily assembled. The device therefore may be manufactiire'd at a relatively low cost. The construe tion of the device also enables it to be formed of any suitable material or combinations of materials,' -thus permitting of a wide variety of forms and color combinations.

I claim:

A stirring device for liquids comprising an elongated shaft having a length greater than the height of the mixing containe and having a sonically-shaped bearing surface at its upper end, an implement secured to the lower end of said shaft and having at its outer end a container bottom engaging portion offset from the longitudinal axis of said shaft and about which said shaft and implement are rotated in the uses of the device, a hollow sleeve having a reater diam-- 'eter, than that of the upper portion of said shaft and loosely fitting around such upper portion to permit relative play between the inner surface of said sleeve and the surface of said upper portion, said sleeve having a length sufiicient to enable it to be gripped by a user to rotate said shaft and implement about the engaging portion of said implement with the latter in contact with the bottom of the container, the body and lower end-of said sleeve being unattached to said shaft to permit quick drainage of liquid from between REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,111,407 Rommel May 15,1938: 2,396,975 Verbrugge Mar. 19,1946;

' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Germany Nov. 9, 1915 

